Billionaire Socialite Sabine Getty's Dramatic Oscars Escalator Mishap
Sabine Getty, the 41-year-old billionaire socialite and Lebanese jewelry designer, experienced a dramatic and unexpected fashion emergency during the 2026 Academy Awards ceremony. The incident occurred when her elegant ivory silk gown by Ralph Lauren became firmly trapped in an escalator at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, creating a chaotic scene that she later described as "hectic" on her Instagram account.
The Fashion Emergency Unfolds
Getty had chosen a stunning sleeveless Ralph Lauren creation for the prestigious event, featuring flowing silk fabric that reached the ground with strategic cutouts on the back for a sultry aesthetic. Her blonde hair was styled in elegant curls pulled away from her face, showcasing delicate mini earrings. The trouble began as she attempted to use an escalator within the venue, with the hem of her dress becoming caught at the very bottom mechanism, rendering her completely immobile.
In Instagram content shared this week, Getty provided followers with a glimpse of the unfolding drama. One slide showed her sitting helplessly at the base of the escalator while theater staff worked diligently to free the trapped fabric. During a brief video clip included in her post, Getty could be seen crouched down near the escalator, lamenting, 'It's such a beautiful dress!' as personnel attempted various methods to release the garment.
Instagram Documentation of the Chaos
The socialite's Instagram carousel featured multiple perspectives of the incident, including a text message that captured the surreal nature of the experience: 'Like I expected hectic but nowhere near escalator near death dress massacre hectic.' In her caption, Getty simply wrote 'The DRAMA @theacademy,' acknowledging the unexpected turn of events at Hollywood's most celebrated awards ceremony.
When an off-camera voice suggested making the ensemble "shorter" to resolve the situation, Getty reacted with visible distress, throwing her hands to her face and responding, 'No, it's really sad.' The staff continued their efforts to carefully extract the gown without causing damage to the designer garment.
Getty's Fashion Philosophy and Background
The mother-of-two has previously discussed her approach to glamorous events, telling Tatler magazine last year, 'I get excited to get dressed up when I have a great dress to wear. I think for me it's that way round. It's not so much the event. Although, I do love a beautiful museum summer party.' She elaborated on this perspective, noting that her time in England influenced her appreciation for elegant occasions at venues like the Serpentine Gallery and Victoria & Albert Museum, but emphasized that 'it's always the dress that leads me.'
Getty attended the 98th Academy Awards in a professional capacity as executive producer of The Voice Of Hind Rajab, a 2025 docudrama nominated for Best International Feature Film. The film tells the harrowing story of Red Crescent volunteers attempting to rescue a six-year-old girl trapped in a car under fire in Gaza, though it ultimately lost to Sentimental Value.
Personal Life and Creative Inspirations
Married since 2015 to hedge fund manager Joseph Getty, a descendant of oil tycoon J. Paul Getty, the couple celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary last year. Reflecting on their marriage in Vogue Arabia, Getty noted, 'It feels like a real achievement. Covid was a turning point; being together 24/7 isn't easy. But we faced challenges and came out stronger. We're happiest just hanging out together. That's what comes from marrying your best friend.' They are parents to daughter Gene and son Jupiter.
Born in Geneva and raised in both Switzerland and Lebanon, Getty maintains a strong connection to her Lebanese heritage, telling Vogue Arabia, 'My soul is Lebanese; I may not look it, but at my core, I am. I moved from the manicured order of Geneva to the wild, intoxicating beauty of Beirut.' She described how witnessing the contrast between graceful traditional homes and bullet-riddled ruins in Beirut's Achrafieh district taught her to 'find beauty everywhere,' a perspective that continues to influence her creative work.
Regarding her fashion preferences, Getty explained, 'Color excites me, but I feel my best in black. It's about silhouette – black creates that striking column effect. Fashion shouldn't be too serious. It's a playground for self-expression.' This philosophy undoubtedly informed her choice of the dramatic Ralph Lauren gown that unfortunately became the center of an unexpected Oscars escalator incident that captivated her social media followers.
